


A Moment Between Moments

by ATiredN7



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Existential Crisis, F/M, Family, Family Feels, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, Johnny Being... well Johnny, Kidnapping, River Being Awkward, Romance, Smut, Snippets, Spoilers, V Being A Gonk, and goddamnit I want a happy ending for them so I'm gonna make one, ganger, little moments, streetkid, they both fall in love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:34:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28621869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ATiredN7/pseuds/ATiredN7
Summary: Night City is unforgiving on a good day. It's dangerous and unpredictable in ways that can get even the most careful of people killed. But every once in a while, there are these moments that are so soft that it sometimes makes him forget how terrible shit can get.With V, it starts small. A friendly smile here, a sarcastic text there. She's always helping and always genuine and he... he likes her. Really fuckin' likes her. She's sharp and tough and compassionate. And he doesn't know when he starts falling for her, but what he does know is this: he'll do anything to give her hope and happiness and a life filled with family.
Relationships: Female V/River Ward, V/River Ward
Comments: 56
Kudos: 145





	1. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would have loved to have romanced Goro or Viktor or even Johnny, but even so, I really did enjoy River, even if they did clearly neglect him compared to the other romances. SO! I wanted to write little moments I thought would just add a little bit more to their story. The conversations between the conversations, so to speak. Don't want to have a lot of overlap because we know the story, but just in case you don't, there will be SPOILERS here, so read at your own risk, obviously. Enjoy, thank you for reading!

River stood there in the columbarium, staring at the name on the plaque. It had been almost two years since he'd last visited but something had pushed him to drop by today. It was hard to describe but he had felt compelled to come check on the niche. Nothing was wrong with it of course; it looked the same as it always had. He just couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to change. 

Jamie Sheen; the name on the plaque and his first partner on the force. Jamie's suicide had rocked him to his core, and even though he hadn't left a note, River had known why he had done it. NCPD top brass had squashed case after case of people who deserved justice. Gangers and Corpos were killing civilians left and right, and NCPD got paid to look the other way or told the case was closed, end of discussion.

Almost ten years later, and absolutely nothing had changed. Standing there at Jamie's grave now, knowing that fact, made him feel worn and tired. It made him feel old. Like maybe he wasn’t cut out for this shit anymore.

A soft breeze blew through the mostly empty columbarium. The sun was beginning to set in the distance, and it cast an orange glow across the flat stones. It was turning out to be a pleasant evening, but River knew better than to ignore his instincts. Something was coming, he just didn’t know what.

His phone rang, interrupting his thoughts, and he answered when he saw who it was. "Yeah, Han?"

"Hey, I just finished filing that report on the Coronado shooting, you wanna grab some grub at Buffalo's?"

"Sure thing. I'll be there in thirty."

Han didn't bother responding, just hung up, and River rolled his ‘ganic eye. He glanced back up at the niche in front of him, still unable to shake the feeling that had led him here. He sighed, tracing the name on the plaque.

"I wish you were still here, man," River murmured simply. He straightened and began making his way back towards his truck. His boots echoed against the stone as he weaved through the rows and rows of towering graves, the cool breeze giving him goosebumps under his jacket. He’d managed to open his driver's side door before his phone rang once more, but this time, he didn't recognize the number.

He frowned but answered anyways, leaning against the door. "This is Ward. Who'm I talkin' to?"

A woman's voice was on the other end of the line. "Uh, yeah, hey. Name's V. I'm looking into the death of Lucius Rhyne."

V.

Now there was an alias he recognized.

He'd heard of her a couple times. Once from a friend-of-a-friend of Barry Lewis, who’d quit the force some time ago, and another from Sergeant Aaron McCarlson himself. Supposedly, she’d helped Lewis out, though River had never heard the specifics. And according to McCarlson, she was a reliable merc, but that was basically the extent of his knowledge.

Still, she wasn't NCPD. So, why was a merc looking into the Mayor's death?

"Wonder why," he drawled. "You're not a cop."

She let out a loud, solitary 'ha', which grated his frayed nerves. "Definitely not." There was a pause. "Listen, I know you tried to warn Rhyne about that cyberpsycho. I'm just lookin' for some more info so I can get a better picture of what happened. If you've got the time to swap deets, I'd really appreciate it."

" _Swap_?" he repeated. "Meaning you've got info to share too?"

He heard her hum, sounding amused. "Interesting, isn't it? Wanna meet?"

Fuck.

River sighed. "Alright. I'm headed to Chubby Buffalo's. That work?"

"Off the Hanford Overpass, right?"

"The very same."

"Preem. Be there stat."

* * *

The call from V rolled around in his head as he drove. He hadn’t worked with many mercs really, and he wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this woman. She was ‘looking into it’? Did that mean she was intending on finding out how the Mayor died or just searching for political dirt?

McCarlson had called her ‘reliable’, but the Sergeant had laxer morals than most. Did that mean she’d do the job no matter what, or that she’d take _any_ job? Why would she need help from him, an NCPD officer? And how much info did she actually have? Would it be enough to force his chief to reopen the case?

It irritated him. He’d been uneasy and restless all day and now all of these nagging questions kept looping in his thoughts. He huffed in frustration as he turned into the parking lot, pulling his truck to a stop. River sat with his hands on the steering wheel for a moment, mulling over everything and organizing his thoughts, before turning off the engine and putting his piece in his hip holster.

As he approached Buffalo’s he could see Han sitting at a table facing the front of the restaurant, which meant River would have his back to the door. He especially didn’t care for that since he was supposed to meet V here. He didn’t want to have any disadvantages, not when he could possibly blow this whole case wide open again, depending on what the merc knew, of course. He debated asking Han to switch him sides, but he knew he wouldn’t do it.

River sighed through his nose, making his way up the steps. He waved to the waitress as he sat across from his partner, who was munching on a syn-burger. “What were you up to?” Han asked. “Didn’t see you at the office the whole afternoon.”

He leaned back against the fake leather seat, rubbing his temple. “Had to grab evidence from that Vice officer in Watson and then I went to visit Jamie’s grave.”

Han hummed an apathetic sound, and the waitress sidled up to the table, addressing River. “What can I get ya?”

“Coffee’s all, thanks.”

“Sure.”

River glanced out the window, watching the road to see if and when anyone else pulled into the parking lot.

“You’re not eating?” Han questioned.

“Not hungry.”

“Okay, well I can’t stay long, I gotta pick up Kelsey from her mom’s soon.”

“Fine.”

Han scoffed, and River looked back to see him setting his burger down on his plate. “What’s up your ass?”

River shook his head, knowing he was being short. “Sorry. It’s nothing. I got a call from a merc just before I came here. The one Aaron mentioned helped him with the Maelstrom case?”

“Aaron McCarlson?” Han clarified. When River nodded, his partner mumbled, “Jesus Christ.”

He shrugged. “Said she was reliable.”

"That fat fuck wouldn't know reliable if it bit him in the ass. What'd the merc want, anyways?"

The waitress dropped off his coffee and he thanked her quietly, taking a sip before he answered. "Just said she wanted to talk,” River lied for now. Han wouldn’t understand. According to their chief, the case was closed. And Han took that at face value. “Supposed to meet her soon."

"For fuck's sake," Han muttered. "Well, don't let her charge you an arm and a leg just to talk. You know how mercs are, the greedy gonks. Try to squeeze every eddy out of you."

“I’ll be fine,” he replied, hearing the loud rumbling of an engine pulling up. He turned his attention back out the window and watched as a motorcycle slowed and turned into the parking lot. The person on the bike looked slim and out of place on it, but they pulled it to a stop with no problems, balancing it as they put down the kickstand.

His merc, perhaps?

The figure took off their helmet to reveal a woman with red and blue hair, the side of it shaved down. She was wearing sunglasses, and a black leather jacket and pants. He couldn’t tell much else from where he was sitting, but he did know that he felt that tightness in his chest once more as he watched her approach the diner.

Was this the change coming?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for checking out my little story, I hope you enjoyed. Kudos and comments always appreciated!


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much everyone for the kudos and comments, I was kinda floored by how many of you it reached in just a couple hours. I really appreciate you all <3
> 
> I loved everything about the camera mode in Cyberpunk. Unfortunately, I am on a One X, so the quality just won't be as good as other console/PC pics, BUT, I'll still share a couple of them.

He got an earful from Han, of course. They argued. Talking about the merc and the chief and the Mayor and how he should ‘let the case go’. River couldn’t do it though. He knew the circumstances were suspicious. He knew that he alone couldn’t get the case reopened. But he couldn’t let it go.

So, he’d see if V had anything for him, and hope like hell it wasn’t all a waste of time.

River glanced up at her as Han stormed out. She’d been polite enough when she’d introduced herself, and she seemed slightly shocked by his partner’s exit if the raised eyebrows were anything to go by. Still, she had taken a bit of a wary stance. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and she had her hip cocked to one side. He’d give her this, she looked the part.

One side of her hair was shaved down, and she had intricate tattoos covering her entire throat, framing a large ‘V’ right in the middle. Several piercings lined her ears and one even sat on her eyebrow just above the rim of her dark sunglasses; all of them were black, matching her jacket, pants, and boots. His optic registered that she had cyberware, but it wasn’t obvious to his ‘ganic eye under all that leather.

She cocked her head pointedly, the corners of her mouth turning up into a smirk, and he realized he was staring. He gestured towards the seat Han had vacated and spoke curtly. “So. _Talk_.”

A near silent exhale of laughter left her nose and she uncrossed her arms. Her jacket was unzipped, showing off her toned midriff, and as she went to sit, he caught the brief sight of a pistol underneath her arm. So, she was packing, and based on the placement, he could guess she was using a shoulder holster.

She was wearing a pair of leather racing gloves as well but took them off and placed them on the table, revealing black metal fingers. She clenched and unclenched her hands, and the whirring servos of her knuckles was distinctive. It took him a moment, but he recognized the sound of gorilla arms and his optic quickly marked them as Arasaka, gen three.

Expensive hardware, that he knew.

She took off her sunglasses, placing them with her gloves, and he was a bit stunned at how _blue_ her eyes were. Her gaze met his and she smiled slightly. “Your partner seems to really hate mercs, huh?” she asked.

“Don’t take it personally. Detective Han’s not a fan of anyone. ‘Cept his daughter.” He paused when a customer passed close to their table. “You wanted to talk?”

V took a deep breath and seemed to study him as she leaned back in her seat. Her metal fingers tapped a slow rhythm onto the chipped, linoleum tabletop and she chewed the inside of her cheek. “You gonna get in trouble for this?”

River blinked. “What? For talkin’ to a stranger off the clock?”

“For talkin’ to a merc about Rhyne,” she countered. “Sounds like your chief already told you to stand down.”

He narrowed his eye. “Why would you care about that?”

She chuckled and shrugged her hands. “Not trying to be nosy. Just don’t wanna be the reason your superiors give your ass desk duty, that’s all.”

“I’m flattered that you’re concerned about my standing with the NCPD.”

“Hey, if it doesn’t bother you, it doesn’t bother me.”

He leaned forward, placing both his arms on the table. “Good. Then let’s get to why we’re really here. Why’s a merc looking into the Mayor’s death? Who hired you?”

She frowned; her brows pulled together. “I don’t care to give out my client’s information. Is that… pertinent to the Mayor’s case?”

“It’s pertinent to me. And if you want to _swap_ any info, or learn anything from me at all, you’ll tell me who hired you.”

V hummed, and her fingers stopped their movement against the table. A nervous tick, maybe? She seemed to take her time, assessing him as she considered his words. He wasn’t sure how he felt being at the center of her undivided attention.

“Well?” he prompted.

“I’m thinking,” she murmured, still staring. She took in a deep, slow breath and nodded. “Alright. They told me you could be trusted, so I’m just going to have faith in their judgement.”

“They?”

“Elizabeth and Jefferson Peralez.”

Well. Fuck.

* * *

V was smart. He discerned that quickly enough by the questions she was asking him as he drove them through the streets of Night City. She told him about the BD she’d seen and the suspicions the Peralez’s had. They talked about Rhyne’s death, a motive, and she finally gave him the piece of information he’d been missing this whole time.

The Red Queen’s Race.

He _knew_ there had been more to the story. Now, if they could just get enough proof to have the case reopened…

Their ride towards Horvath’s workplace had been quiet for a few minutes but she eventually broke the silence once more. “So… Peter Horvath? You saw him as a potential threat and… decided to warn the mayor?”

“Yep.”

There was a long pause. “Just like that? ‘Cause you got a good heart?”

He glanced over at her, raising a brow at her tone. "Make that sound like it's something to be ashamed of."

She shook her head. "Nah, never that. Just… not something you see every day. Especially not in Night City."

“You a native?”

“Heywood, born and raised. I live in Watson now, though. You?”

He checked his rearview mirror before responding. “Lived outside the city as a kid but my job as a cop keeps me here now, obviously."

She was quiet for a moment before she continued. "So, what's your deal then?"

"My deal?" he asked.

V laughed a little, leaning her head back against the seat. "Yeah, come on. You try to warn a corrupt mayor before his untimely death and then continue pursuing the case even _after_ NCPD top brass shuts you down? Don't even get your partner on board, just follow the first merc who comes to you with info?"

He hummed noncommittally. "I'd like to point out that you are _also_ investigating this."

"Sure, but I'm being paid to."

"I'm paid to look into things," he countered.

She laughed again. "You're being paid _not_ to investigate this, that's the difference."

He clenched his jaw, irritated that she was right. "You don't think the circumstances of the mayor’s death are shady?"

"No, I do. I just don't give a shit that he's dead," she said, her tone pragmatic. When she saw his startled expression, she continued, "That motherfucker turned his back on everything he once stood for. He and Holt were both in 'Saka pockets. As far as I'm concerned, that's one less corrupt politician to worry about."

River frowned, narrowing his eye at her. "How do you know they're in league with Arasaka?"

She paused briefly, seeming to realize what she’d said, and then shrugged. "Isn't it one of those unspoken but totally obvious things that everyone knows about?"

A lie, but he didn't push. "And the Peralez's? If you don't care about corrupt politicians, why are you working for them?" She was silent and he laughed incredulously. "Wait, don't tell me that you think they're clean?"

V huffed, annoyed. "No one’s clean, not in Night City. But I don't think they're dirty if that’s what you’re asking." She lolled her head to the side to smirk at him. "Anyways, don't change the subject. We were talking about you and your good heart."

"Oh, were we?"

She tapped her finger against her chin theatrically, taking on a narrative tone. "So, all of this would make you the Decent Cop, just trying to find the truth. You get shut down by your chief but you, the _underdog_ of the NCPD, know something's up, and you just can't let it go. You'll do anything to find out what's going on, because you know it's the right thing to do."

He caught on quickly and nodded. "Ah, I see. Well, since we're dealing with stereotypes, I suppose that would make you the Tough Merc with a sarcastic comment always at the ready. You take jobs for money, but secretly you're also curious about the truth, which is why you join forces with the Decent Cop, even if he has little chance of getting the case reopened."

V snorted and gave him a lopsided grin. "You forgot an important detail about my character."

"What's that?"

"I always root for the underdog."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, ya'll! Hope you continue to enjoy this little journey with me :)


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy! <3

It was evening by the time they were done with both the scop market and his CI.

Their conversation with Horvath’s employer, Christine Markov, didn’t yield as much information as he’d hoped for, but it gave them a bit of context. However, they had managed to get the location of the Red Queen’s Race out of Neil, which was the one win of the night. If he were being honest, he’d been more impressed with V. She asked good questions and she kept it _mostly_ professional. He was beginning to learn that she managed to sneak in a bit of sarcasm every now and then whenever she spoke. Seemed to be second nature for her.

He was fairly sure he could keep up though.

River glanced over his shoulder to see Neil glaring at them from the front door of his shop, locking it and closing the shutters to block their view. He scoffed and turned back towards V. She was leaning against his truck, her ankles crossed over one another and her elbows on the hood. Her head was cocked slightly as she looked at him, chewing the inside of her cheek.

“What?”

“Nothin’.”

“You’re giving me a look.”

She hummed and seemed to consider her words. “You’re different than I imagined you would be.”

He raised a brow, crossing his arms over his chest. “Oh? This should be good.”

“I dunno. I thought you were gonna be a ‘shoot first, ask questions later’ type of cop, but your approach with those Tyger Claws and your CI has kinda proved me wrong.” She straightened, brushing dust off the back of her pants.

He opened his driver’s side door and grimaced. “Shooting first gets you into trouble.”

V laughed. “Well, from what your partner said earlier, so does asking questions in your case.”

“Shit, you’re not wrong,” he replied, lifting himself into his truck and watching her round the vehicle to join him. When both the doors were shut, he glanced at her. “You got time to hit Red Queen’s Race tonight? Might be easier now that it’s dark.”

“Yeah, I got time,” she nodded.

He pulled onto the road, bringing up the coordinates Neil had given them into his optic. If they managed to find any evidence at the Red Queen’s Race linking the Mayor’s death to it, he could take the case to Internal to get reopened. Especially if what Neil said was true, and the club really was empty.

They’d been driving for a few minutes when he realized V hadn’t said a word the entire way so far. He glanced over to see her staring out the window, her chin in her hand. “You’re quiet,” he said, interrupting the silence.

“Hm?” she grunted, blinking at him in confusion. “Sorry. Lost in thought, I guess.”

“’Bout what?”

“Ah… had a bit of déjà vu back there at the shop.”

“When we were talking to Neil?”

She shook her head and took a deep breath. “Nah, before that. Chasing him out the back door and rounding that corner, only to see you standing there ready for him… it was a tactic me and my choom used on a subcon job once.” Her voice sounded melancholy and a bit strained, as if she didn’t really want to talk about it. First time he’d seen her uncomfortable all evening.

He switched gears. “Wait, subcon? Like subcon work for the NCPD?”

“I know. Doing your guys' jobs for ya. I don't even have a lame badge to show off.” She turned to smile at him, and he pretended not to notice that she looked relieved at the subject change. “Not that I'd want one. Then I'd have Tyler Claws harassing me and my _sweet_ ride." She gave the door of his truck an affectionate pat.

"Wow. You’re takin' jabs at my truck too?"

"Not at all! It's very... functional."

He huffed a breath, glad to see her back to her snarky self. "Yeah, not all of us can have fancy bikes. Sometimes I got the need to haul shit around.”

"Like what?" she scoffed.

"Like mouthy mercs,” he fired back, unable to keep the grin off his face.

She laughed, genuine and loud. "You tossin' me in the back?"

"I just might."

"You gonna cuff me too, officer?"

"You know, you do actually have the right to remain silent. You know that, don't you?"

She chuckled slyly. "I bet I do, but I want the court to hear about the injustices I'm facing at the hands of _clearly_ everyone's favorite officer."

* * *

“You find anything, tell me.”

V had her hands on her hips, a pained expression on her face as she stared at the Animal warehouse down the road. She side-eyed him and the blue of her eyes nearly glowed in the cold light of the streetlamps. “You really know how to show a girl a good time, huh?”

He smirked as he leaned against the railing, amused. “Depends. Does said girl like knocking over gangers and getting to the bottom of a murder mystery?”

She rolled her eyes, “She likes living and getting paid even more so let’s hope that’s the ending.” She unzipped her leather jacket once more and slipped it from her shoulders, revealing a cropped t-shirt and the shoulder holster he had suspected she wore. Each side had a pistol strapped into it and she reached over her head to grab a silencer from a fastened pocket at the small of her shoulder blades.

He tensed, watching her pull out the smaller of the two pistols to attach it. He didn’t really want dead bodies surrounding this if they could help it. “Guns blazing, huh?” he asked warily.

V looked up from what she was doing, frowning. “What? No, look,” she replied, pulling out the magazine and showing him the bold, printed ‘NL’ on the side of it before slotting it back into her pistol. “Non-lethal rounds, relax. Last resort anyways, I try to stick to the shadows if I can.”

He felt relieved at that, but he tried not to show it. With her jacket off, there was a lot of skin on display now. He could see the extent of her arm cybernetics and his optic had been right about the gorilla arms. They looked top of the line and her black knuckles whirred so softly as she worked on her gun that he wouldn’t have noticed it in passing. “Stealthy approach when you’ve got tech like that?” he asked.

She slipped her pistol back into its holster and lifted a metallic hand, catching it in the light. “’S quicker to take someone down when you’ve got the force to use consistent pressure against them. And if I get caught, I’ve got an advantage in hand to hand or close quarters. Plus, I don’t gotta worry about locked doors, so.”

“Guess it was a good investment, then.”

“An expensive one, that’s for sure,” she muttered. She slung her arms through her jacket once more and tugged it back into place. “Right. Ring me?”

He did, catching the telltale, mechanical blue of her optics when she answered. “Clear?”

“Clear. Ready for duty, officer.”

He huffed at the wink she sent his way and shook his head. “Curious to see how you work, merc.”

V hummed, her grin widening, and he almost regretted his choice of words. “I bet you are.”

_Almost._

“Let’s solve a murder, then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know that the gorilla arms don't open doors but they were SUPPOSED TO, so I'm sticking to it.
> 
> Ah also, good news/bad news? I am.... *drumroll* MOVING this upcoming weekend ish, and I may or may not have internet for the first couple weeks once I'm moved in. Will know more this week but thought I'd let all of you know. Thank you for reading, the comments and the kudos have been really nice to see. Stay safe everybody <3


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey check it out, we're finally moving into Uncharted Territory (TM) this chapter! Hope yall enjoy <3

River hadn’t remembered the last time he’d been this angry. Holt had ordered Rhyne’s murder and the NCPD had covered it up. And his own fucking partner had been in on it. V had stood mostly silent next to him and the rage had only grown as he listened to Han’s disinterested explanation. He’d baited them both, especially V, treating her like she was gutter trash. And then he’d just… left.

Like he hadn’t covered up the death of Night City’s mayor.

His fists were clenched in front of him and he wanted to hit something. Mostly just Han. Maybe himself too for believing that his partner had just been ‘looking out for him’. Instead, he crossed his arms as he leaned against the railing speaking to V. “Takin’ this to Internal Affairs. Got enough to get this case reopened.”

It was hard to see her exact expression in the dark of Buffalo’s parking lot, but he heard her let out a long breath and watched her nod. “Yeah, I know you will.”

He blinked. “You think it’s a bad idea.”

She shook her head insistently, taking a step closer. “No, just… you’re a good cop, River. I’d hate for what Han said to come true. For them to drop you just for doing the right thing.” V reached up to run a hand through her hair. “You’re a better person than I am. In your place… I dunno if I’d have the fuckin’ guts. But you said so yourself… Can’t let it go. So, do it. And if you need my help, you’ve got it.”

He blinked, feeling the tightness in his chest, the rage, lessen somewhat at her words. “Thanks V,” he murmured. “You gonna report back to the Peralez’s?”

“I will in the morning. It’s late and honestly, I’m fuckin’ beat. That last Animal cracked me good,” she said, rubbing at her jaw.

He winced, remembering the dazed look on her face when he’d rushed in. “Might be a miracle you took him down. That fucker was big.”

“No miracle, just lots of practice. Luckily, I think I broke his hand with my face, so.”

He huffed at her attempt at a joke, ignoring it. “I should have been quicker, I’m sorry,” he grumbled.

V snorted, “It’s not your fault. I’ll be fine. And capable of taking a single punch, I promise. Scrappy kid from Heywood, remember?” There was a long pause and she shifted awkwardly on her feet. “Listen, River… I owe you. For savin’ my life back at the club.”

He unfolded his arms, surprised. “From the BD? V, you don’t-“

“-I do,” she interrupted. “I really fuckin’ do. And I don’t know how I’m gonna repay you, but I’ll think of something, okay?”

“That’s not necessary. You helped me by getting that evidence, that’s repayment enough.”

She stopped him by placing a hand on his arm, griping tightly. “River. You. Saved. My. _Life_.”

His brow furrowed and he replied slowly, “This is important to you, isn’t it?”

“Got a backlog of life debts that need repaying, I’m just adding you to the list,” she sighed, letting go and stepping away. “I’ll ring you in a couple of days, alright? And just holler if you need my help with anything.”

“…Alright.”

“Good luck, River.”

* * *

It was only two days later when he heard from V again. It was late, and he’d been staring at the Rhyne file for hours now. Internal Affairs had said they’d ‘review it and get back to him’ in a few days. In the meantime, his chief had given him the cold shoulder and no tasks, so he suspected a reassignment was in the near future. Whether it was going to be his or the chief’s, he wasn’t sure. He hoped for the latter but was prepared for the first.

He was just about to pack it up for the night when a message pinged his phone.

**V: You got any free days this week?**

He rolled his shoulders, wincing at the kinks in his back and neck as he sent a reply.

**River: Tomorrow, actually. Why?**

**V: Preem. Corner of Nelson and 11 th, noon.**

He raised a brow.

**River: What’s at the corner of Nelson and 11 th at noon tomorrow?**

**V: A surprise, obviously.**

**River: I don’t like surprises.**

**V: Well, funny thing actually, I don’t know if you knew this, but you’re a detective. So, technically you could just look it up.**

A small smile tugged at the edges of his lips for the first time in days.

**River: You’re a real smartass, you know that?**

**V: WHAT THE FUCK YOU REALLY ARE A DETECTIVE**

He actually _laughed_ at her reply.

**River: That’s it, I’m not going.**

**V: LOL, only teasing. I promise it’ll be worth it, but if you absolutely must know then you can just look up what’s there and I’m sure you’d figure it out quick enough. If you do though, you gotta pretend to be surprised.**

**River: Hmm… alright. I’ll be there.**

**V: Are you going to look it up beforehand?**

**River: That’s a surprise, obviously.**

**V: HAHAHA! Well played, Detective Ward.**

* * *

**V: Ring me when you’re close. I’m gonna wait at the diner here on the corner.**

The message pinged his optic along with the accompanying selfie she had taken, which made him smile just a tiny bit. Electing not to take his hands off the wheel, he called her instead, and she picked up on the second ring.

Her digitized voice came through, “You close?”

“Yeah, just a block away.”

He could hear the smile in her voice. “I’m glad you decided to come. Did you use your super detective skills to see what was here?”

River snorted, “No, I didn’t look.”

“HA! So, you _do_ like surprises then!”

“Not at all,” he laughed, taking a left turn and stopping at a light. “But I didn’t want to ruin your fun.”

“Very generous of you,” she replied. “Well, when you get here, there’s a garage on the corner called Marty’s. Pull into it and give the guy there your name and then meet me across the street at the diner.”

“A garage?” he asked dubiously, pulling forward when the light turned green.

“Just trust me, okay?”

“I don’t know,” he drawled, “you were just making fun of my truck a few days ago. You’re not having it scrapped or something, right?”

She laughed. “ _Promise_ all my eddy’s, I’m not having your wheels trashed.”

River thought for a moment as he pulled up to the location, stopping just in front of the garage. He tapped his fingers nervously against the steering wheel, unsure of what she had planned. There was a long pause from his phone before she spoke up, softer this time.

“I can see you there, hesitating. You don’t have to pull in if you don’t want to, River. I’m just…” she sighed, “trying to repay you for saving my life.”

He hummed lowly, “I told you that wasn’t necessary, V.”

“Well, unfortunately for you, I happen to like living, and find my life relatively fuckin’ valuable. So, I’m indebted to you. And I pay my debts. Especially life debts.”

River huffed, letting out a long, resigned breath. “… Alright, fine. I’ll see you in a minute.”

He imagined the grin on her face must have been smug because he could hear it in her voice clearly. “Preem.”

He pulled slowly into the empty garage and parked, taking his key out of the ignition. A man in dirty coveralls was standing at a computer and he glanced up to watch him step out of his truck.

“You Ward?” the man asked.

“Yeah.”

“Right,” he said, straightening and wheeling a large toolbox over. “Should be done with her in a couple hours. Won’t take me long at all.”

River huffed. “You’re not… putting a giant turret on the back of this thing or something, are you?”

The mechanic looked startled and then laughed a little. “Uh, no. Cosmetically, your truck will appear the same.”

“Guess that’ll have to do,” River muttered, exiting the garage before he could change his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will know more about my internet situation Thursday so there might possibly be another chapter in a couple days hopefully, fingers crossed. Thanks so much for reading, kudos and comments are, are always, greatly appreciated!


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading!

He entered the diner, glancing around until he caught V’s wild hair in the back. She met his gaze and smirked and he was barely able to hold back a smile, shaking his head at her expression. She was wearing a ratty crop top, her sunglasses tucked into the neck of it. Her black pants clung to her legs tightly and she had one knee up with her elbow casually leaned against it as he approached.

River slid into the seat across from her, eyeing her suspiciously. “You gonna tell me what he’s doing to my truck?”

V chuckled and gave him a friendly smile. “Why, you nervous about it?”

“Just curious if I’ll have to buy a new ride in a couple hours,” he answered, his lips twitching.

She put her knee down, leaning forward against the table to place her chin in her palm, amused. “Mmm. Don’t worry, I’m only having them paint some sick flames on the side and write ‘Burn Corpo Shit’ on the hood.”

“Oh, is that all?” he laughed.

“Maybe you won’t get harassed about it by gangers anymore if it looks like a ganger vehicle,” she explained.

A waiter approached, interrupting. “Get you guys anything?”

V turned, “Loaded tamale and a Tiancha Pomegranate, please.”

He nodded. “Sure. And you?”

“The same, is fine.”

The waiter left to put their orders in, and he glanced back at V. She drummed the fingers of her free hand softly against the table and met his gaze. “How did it go with Internal Affairs?” she asked.

He grimaced.

“That bad, huh?”

He sighed and rubbed at his jaw. “Haven’t even discussed it with them since handing over the evidence. Said they’d ‘get back to me’ about it.”

V nodded, looking away from him. “I’m sure they’ll do the right thing.”

He laughed when he took in her barely concealed sour expression.

“What?” she blinked.

“You might be the worst liar I’ve ever met.”

She relaxed her shoulders and smiled at him, though it looked a little sad. “Well, at least you know that _you_ did the right thing, even if your superiors won’t. Rare quality to have, River.”

“What? Stubbornness?”

She laughed. “ _Integrity_ , you fuckin’ gonk."

He was quiet for a moment before he grinned at her softly. “You know, for someone playing the sarcastic Tough Merc, you sure do say a lot of nice things unprompted.”

“Do I?”

“Often enough that it sticks out,” he responded.

“Maybe I’m just nice?” she suggested as she raised her eyebrows in what he _guessed_ was her attempt at looking innocent.

He hummed, narrowing his eyes playfully. “Wouldn’t this ruin your rep as a merc if it got out that you were a _nice_ person?”

She beamed, her striking eyes flicking down to glance at his lips before she met his gaze once more. “It might. You’ll keep my secret though, won’t you River?” she asked in a low voice, causing goosebumps to run down his back at her teasing tone.

Was she…? No.

River blinked and swallowed hard before returning her smile. “Sure V, I’ll keep your secret.”

* * *

River stood there next to V, staring at his truck. They were in the empty parking lot just behind Marty’s Garage, both with their hands on their hips, and he glanced over at her to see her smirking at him.

“New _tires_?” he asked suspiciously. Other than being clean, and the shiny black wheels on his truck, he couldn’t tell what else was different about it.

V’s grin widened. “Don’t scan it with your optic just yet.” She pulled a switchblade out of her back pocket and handed it to him, nodding towards his wheels. “Try it,” she said.

“Try… what?”

“Stabbing the tires, obviously.”

He frowned but approached and did as he was told. He tried pushing the blade into the rubber and blinked when it didn’t budge an inch. He widened his stance, putting all his strength behind it. After a few seconds, he realized why it wasn’t going to work.

“Knife-proof tires?” he questioned, stunned.

“That’s not all,” she laughed, looking positively giddy at this point. “You got your iron on you?”

“Yes,” he said, stretching the word out as he looked at her dumbly.

“Can I borrow it?”

“Why?”

“River,” she started, exasperated.

“Alright. Shit.” He pulled it from the holster at his waist before handing it to her grip first.

V lifted it, her feet shoulder width apart and one of her elbows bent. She held her weapon like a cop, he realized. He didn’t get any more time to analyze that train of thought though because she was suddenly shooting the shit out of his truck, causing him to startle.

When she was done, she grinned and gestured towards it. “Look.”

He glanced back at his truck only to find it unblemished, like it hadn’t just taken an entire magazine into the sides of it. “Jesus, V,” he breathed, stepping forward to run a hand over the smooth exterior.

She moved to stand next to him, handing back his pistol and knocking against the hood of his ride with a metal knuckle. “Bulletproof,” she explained.

“How?” he asked, mouth agape at her.

“Fuck if I know, I’m not a mechanic. Ballistic fiberglass? Polycarbonate bullshit? All’s I know is it works.”

“That’s not-… what I meant to ask was ‘ _why_ ’? Fuck, this must have cost you an arm and a leg,” he grumbled, feeling uncomfortable just imagining the eddies she must have spent to get this done in a couple of hours. Probably cost more than the truck itself.

He glanced up to see her giving him a thoughtful look. “Mm. Well. You saved my life. And now that you’ve got a bulletproof truck, I might inadvertently save yours someday. Or at the very least, I’ll save your tires the next time you run into some Claws.”

“V…” he murmured, turning to face her completely.

Her lips parted and she fidgeted nervously at whatever expression was on his face. “Like I said before, I like living and well, my life is… pretty priceless.” She rubbed absently at her neural port as she gave him a smile, though it looked slightly strained.

“I can’t accept this.”

“You can and you’re gonna, ‘cause it’s already paid for and it’s your truck.”

“Fine, then I’ll pay you back someday when I’ve got the eddies.”

V rolled her eyes at him. “I don’t know how many times I need to explain this. This is my way of paying _you_ back. You saved my life. That BD was spiked, River. It would have killed me had you not been there. So, whatever humble bullshit you’re trying to pull here isn’t going to work.” She softened her voice when she spoke again. “I’m trying to be grateful here. Please just… accept.”

He sighed heavily, running his hand over his face.

_Fuck._

“Alright. I accept.”

She smiled. “Good.”

“ _Begrudgingly_ ,” he amended.

“I would expect nothing less from you.”

“V,” he said, placing his metal hand against hers briefly. “Thank you.”

Her lashes fluttered for a brief moment, the pale blue of her eyes swamping her pupils in the afternoon sunlight as she stared back at him. For once, she seemed a little speechless before she cleared her throat and nodded. “Well, someone’s gotta look out for the Decent Cop.”

“Good thing he’s got the Tough Merc on his side, then,” he joked, pulling away from her.

* * *

River sat in the cab of his truck, reading over the new specs of it with his optic, and shook his head in disbelief. V hadn’t told him, but she’d apparently had the suspension and the brakes redone as well, likely to compensate for the extra weight the ride now carried. He wasn’t sure exactly how much it had cost her, but he knew it was more than he could have ever afforded on a cop’s salary.

“Fuck,” he murmured, running his ‘ganic hand over his face. It was too much. He felt guilty accepting it. But that wasn’t the only thing he was experiencing. Something warm stirred in his chest now. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had gifted him anything. Or cared about his wellbeing, for that matter.

_Careful_ , he thought, itching at his sternum in an attempt to disperse the emotions. _Feelings like that will get you in trouble._

His phone rang, interrupting his musings. He had to do a double take when he saw who it was.

He answered cautiously. “Joss?”

The voice on the other end sighed. “Hey, River. Long time, no talk.”

“I-… _yeah_. What’s-… Is everything alright?”

His sister was quiet for a moment. “Have you heard from Randy at all lately?”

“No. Why? Did something happen?”

Joss huffed out a hard breath, the kind only a parent could make. “He ran away from home again. We got into an argument and he left. He’s probably with his friends but it’s been a couple days and I still haven’t heard from him. Do you think you could try… checking up on him somehow? God knows you’d find more out with your resources than I ever could.”

He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees as he nodded. “Yeah, I can do that. I’ll keep an eye out for him at the usual spots too.”

“Thanks,” she responded, and he could hear her taking a drag off of a cigarette. “I’m trying not to worry but you know how that goes.” She paused. “Or maybe you don’t, I dunno.”

River winced, not missing the dig. “ _Joss_ …”

“I gotta get back to work,” she interrupted. “Just call me if you hear anything, okay?”

He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. “Yeah. Okay. I’ll call you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm tentatively moving on sunday/monday. I'm going to post another chapter tomorrow, though it's shorter than this one, but it needed its own chapter. I hope you've all enjoyed this so far, and I hope you'll stick around! Thanks so much for all the kudos and comments, it's been wonderful to see. Stay safe, everyone!


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is text messages between River and V, they take place over the course of about 3-4 days. It felt awkward putting it on the last chapter or the next chapter, so even though it's short, it gets its own little section.
> 
> Thank you all so so so much for reading and leaving comments and kudos, you guys are the backbone of the internet. Much love <3

**V: How's your vastly improved ride riding?**

**V: Lol, sorry I didn't think that sentence through before I sent that.**

**River: Runs great! No one’s shot at me yet though, so I'm not sure how good the bulletproofing is.**

**V: Hold on, lemme grab my iron.**

**River: HA, a comedian.**

**V: Ah, come on. You, me, a wild car chase through Night City.**

**River: Mm, yes, and then we can get arrested. Preem idea.**

**V: Honestly, I've had worse nights!**

**V: I could hit up that Tyger Claw you're friends with, see if he's down for throwing some bullets at your truck. What was his name again? Tug? Log?**

**River: Lugg. Also, the subtle effort to put those exact two words together, in that order, was noticed.**

**V: Fuck, your detective skills have thwarted me again.**

**River: Lol. Gonk.**

* * *

**River: Saw some footage at the precinct of you taking down that cyberpsycho at the pier, you okay???**

**V: Sore as fuck, but I'll be alright.**

**River: Yeah I bet so, it looked rough.**

**V: Luckily, I'm made of Tough Merc stuff.**

**V: Won't lie though, that motherfucker could hit. Feel like I had some 50 Shades of Gray shit pulled on me with how hard that fight fucked me up.**

**River: For fuck’s sake.**

**V: Just bent me right over.**

**River: I think I got the visual.**

**V: 50 Shades Darkest.**

**River: Yep, anytime you wanna stop is fine with me.**

**V: Lmaoooo**

* * *

(2 Hours Later) 

**River: But seriously though, you're alright?**

**V: I'm alright, River.**

* * *

**V: Mmmkay, not impressed with Chubby Buffalo's lack of Tiancha Pomegranate btw.**

**River: Lol I can't believe that's your favorite one. There are so many other better flavors.**

**V: Fuck, don't tell me you're a lemon lime fan???**

**River: What's wrong with lemon lime? It's got lemon AND lime.**

**V: Wow.**

**River: The orangsicle one is pretty good too.**

**V: Jesus Christ.**

**V: This is like that season 4 episode of Watson Whore when James finds out that Philip sent an assassin after him.**

**River: Wasn't that season 3?**

**V: Whatever, it's THE BETRAYAL that matters here, River.**

**River: Don't be so dramatic. Pomegranate is fine, and I'll drink it, it's just not the BEST one.**

**V: K, I have to physically fight you the next time we see each other.**

**River: Oh, we're fighting now?**

**V: My honor demands it.**

**River: I think you mean your ego. There's no honor in pomegranate.**

* * *

**River: Got a diner owner over here in Coronado who said a merc helped to stop an attempted robbery of his place.**

**River: Wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?**

**V: Mm, doesn't ring a bell.**

**River: Really? ‘Cause his description of the woman who helped him sounded a lot like you.**

**V: I mean, there's lot of people in Night City. Could have been anyone.**

**River: He said, and I quote, "She had a big tattoo of a 'V' on her neck.”**

**V: That is interesting. I mean, it's a pretty popular letter though.**

**River: It's the least popular letter.**

**V: Uh, I'd argue that award goes to Z, actually.**

**V: I mean, can you think of any names or words that start with Z off the top of your head?**

**River: Okay, second to last.**

**V: Wrong again. You're forgetting X.**

**River: And YOU’RE trying to change the subject and it's not gonna work.**

**V: Lol, and here I was hoping you'd debate the finer points of the alphabet with me.**

**River: I was just messaging you to say you did a good thing V.**

**V: I did the bare minimum.**

**V: HYPOTHETICALLY!**

**River: Not bare minimum. Not a lot of people would, or could, step up for that shit.**

**V: You would.**

**River: Just take the compliment, V.**

**V: What's the compliment again? Just so I know whether or not to accept.**

**River: Lol! You're impossible.**

**River: And a good person. And just in case no one else said it, thank you for helping that guy. It was nice to see a case like that for once.**

* * *

(1 Hour Later)

**V: Thanks, River.**

**River: Anytime.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, 100%, 50 shades of gray exists in my cyberpunk because I couldn't remember finding a similar trashy novel, like Lusty Argonian Maid or something equivalent in game, (though I'm sure there is one).
> 
> Thank you for reading! I will continue to try updating but the next couple weeks will be very busy for me with me moving tomorrow and trying to get a decent internet provider, so! Hope you all stick with me on this little adventure. Stay safe everybody! <3


End file.
